Wood Turtle

Scientific Name:

The scientific name for the Wood Turtle is Clemmys insculpta

Where they're located in New Jersey:

Wood Turtles can be found throughout the Northern Region and some places in the Southern Region of the state.

Placement on Endangerment Scale:

Vulnerable (VU)

Physical characteristics:

The Wood Turtle looks as if it is made of wood. Each scute forms an irregular pyramid. The shell is brown and the plastron is yellow with black markings on the edges. Parts of the neck and front legs can be red or orange. They can grow to be 5-9 inches in length.

Preferred habitat:

Clean streams running through meadows, woods or farmlands